bed woes

[Hazel in Sk]

We enjoy our little camper but...........how we wish the bed was REALLY double size...........or even easier to get in and out of! Hubby is getting a tad too stiff in the joints to climb over me if he needs to get up in the night.

Has anyone come up with a good solution/adaptation etc to improve the sleeping aspects of life in tiny trailers?

Just thought I'd throw out the topic and see if anyone can help.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Hazel in Sk

We enjoy our little camper but...........how we wish the bed was REALLY double size...........or even easier to get in and out of! Hubby is getting a tad too stiff in the joints to climb over me if he needs to get up in the night.

Has anyone come up with a good solution/adaptation etc to improve the sleeping aspects of life in tiny trailers?

Just thought I'd throw out the topic and see if anyone can help.

Our camper is a Scamp 13 deluxe but maybe the principle is the same...
One thing which we recently experimented with was extending the bed forward between the cabinets. Our camper has been modified to a wraparound couch so we simply used the original table for the extention and it worked great by only shortening the leg.
Here is a picture of our "King" bed conversion...

[Byron Kinnaman]

In our case we don't have an on board toilet. When one of us needs to make that middle of the night trip the takes advantage of that goes along too. That way I don't have to try to climb over my wife. Adaptation is the key to living in small trailers.

[Roger C H]

My wife gets the large bed and we convert the front dinette for me. Along with the gettng "more mature problem" you mentioned, I was getting claustrophobic with the two of us in that 3/4 bed.

Does your Ventura have a convertable front dinette? The picture in the gallery looks like it is even smaller than our Trillium.

[Darnelle]

We sleep as Floyd does -- with a bed extension where we place our feet and our heads under the rear window. Tons more comfy!

[Kevin A]

Do you then un-do the bed everyday? Our sink area is right where the bed extension would go, so there would be no room to stand and do dishes.

[melissab]

WOW, Floyd! That looks soooo comfy! Did you move the furnace from under the sink area or do you just not use it when the bed extension is out? Now see, that would have worked for me and hubby and then the kids would still have the front bunks. Will keep that in mind for the future!

Melissa

Originally Posted by floyd

Our camper is a Scamp 13 deluxe but maybe the principle is the same...
One thing which we recently experimented with was extending the bed forward between the cabinets. Our camper has been modified to a wraparound couch so we simply used the original table for the extention and it worked great by only shortening the leg.
Here is a picture of our "King" bed conversion...

[floyd]

Originally Posted by melissab

WOW, Floyd! That looks soooo comfy! Did you move the furnace from under the sink area or do you just not use it when the bed extension is out? Now see, that would have worked for me and hubby and then the kids would still have the front bunks. Will keep that in mind for the future!

Melissa

Actually it is both easy to set up and comfy, but we have only used it a couple of times since we have a 54" bed, which is comfy enough for us.
I did this as an excercise to illustrate what could be done with a 13, especially since the only added part needed was the original Scamp table,which I already had in the loft of my shop. The only drawback to this is that I must carry the table in the TV.
We have a heatstrip in our A/C as long we have shorepower.The furnace can not be used in conjunction with the "king" extention and the closet can only open a few inches.
On the plus side, it eliminates the crawl over problem and leaves room to stand in front of the counter and still reach the sink. Remarkably, it really feels like a "king" bed since the narrow section at the foot does not cause any of the problems one might expect.
We have found that a shorter version can give the effect of a wider bed when sleeping in the normal configuration, allowing the outboard person to sleep comfortably without feeling too close to the edge.
Measure yours and make the extension only as long as needed.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Kevin A

Do you then un-do the bed everyday? Our sink area is right where the bed extension would go, so there would be no room to stand and do dishes.

For the times that we used this configuration we have removed it everyday, since it is only one folding leg and merely sets on the original rails.

[melissab]

How do you secure the extension to the bench so it doesnt slip off? That could be a rude awakening, lol.

Originally Posted by floyd

For the times that we used this configuration we have removed it everyday, since it is only one folding leg and merely sets on the original rails.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by melissab

How do you secure the extension to the bench so it doesnt slip off? That could be a rude awakening, lol.

it sets on the same track as it did originally but only about 22" ,which is adequate to avoid any problem.

[melissab]

So you use it in conjuction with your smaller table for your U-Dinette setup? Which, wouldnt that make your bed smaller than 54" using the home made table without the extension?

[Greg H]

I like it!

[floyd]

Originally Posted by melissab

So you use it in conjuction with your smaller table for your U-Dinette setup? Which, wouldnt that make your bed smaller than 54" using the home made table without the extension?

Actually, my wraparound has an adjustable base under the across section and I don't use the table at all when setting up the "king".
when setting up the regular bed, the table is 22" and the balance is 32", thereby making the full 54".
Here's several thousand words worth...

[Donna D.]

If you use a bed extension into the hallway, be careful of bedding close to the furnance.... while it's running. Danger Will Robinson!!

[Darnelle]

I made a frame under the bed, so the extension slides in and out similar to a drawer. Legs then fold down. The bed is always made up in the "standard" configuration with the extra foam on the bed during the day. This extra foam has it's own custom-made sheet. The bedding that hangs over is tucked under the bed foam, so is out of the way. So far, we have always had electric hookups, so use an electric heater placed in a safe location.

[Penney H. & Mike E.]

Hazel we do as Roger does - we're both too tall, and too stiff at the end of a busy day, to be comfy in one bed, we keep both beds set up permantly most days, if inclement weather means more time in the trailer it's easy to take down the front bed and have the smaller dinnette for use, but we usually use either the camp site table outside or set up our folding table under the awning - making our trailer our 'bedroom' with two beds.

Works for us - not only do smaller trailers take adapting to, so do aging bodies! I guess what you decide to do depends on how you travel & use your trailer.

Penney

[theresa p]

nice looking bed, floyd!!!

[HikeSticks]

I love it! I must make the necessary pieces so I can do the same thing for my Trillium. (for those rare occasions when I have company)
This is one of those things when you think... "Why didn't I think of that?" It seems obvious when someone else shows you how simple it can be.
Barrie

[Hazel in Sk]

Thanks for the creative ideas. For now we are sleeping in two different beds.

My ideal trailer would have a full double bed we can both get out of easily or two singles. We want a comfy dinette/sitting area, some form of heating, a fridge and a night use potty. Cupboards as they fit.

We aren't interested in the stove as we cook outside and think it is wasted space. we don't go camping to watch tv either, though we take the laptop along so we can clear off our camera memory cards.

I think I'll just have to dream as hubby has other things he enjoys more than transforming trailers!